i do worry about american politics which is antique, sclerotic and unsuited for the challenges of the 21st century. if we want to fix america, we will need to fix its politics. remember, you can read more those on this in my cover story in "time" magazine and on time.com. thanks after the headlines, after the radio call-ins, after the meltdown, tonight, charlie sheen talks to me, one-on-one, for the first time on primetime television. let me ask you a question. are you right now, under the influence of any substances. >> i'm under the influence of you. >> everyone in hollywood is asking the same thing. what is he thinking? >> i'm a winner. and their lives look like, you

know, they're ruled by losers. to put it in like and like terms. they want my life. now, charlie sheen tells me, in his own words. no holds barred. >> and charlie sheen is here with me right now. why are you here? the vast audience is giving you a standing ovation. >> thank you. >> why are you here? >> thank you for having me, by the way. >> my pleasure. what do you want to achieve with this interview? >> we should tell everyone how we met. >> we were in aspen, colorado. i asked if you would do it. you listened to me. you did the interview. and i appreciate it. and watching all of the interviews you've been doing in

the last 48 hours -- >> right. a couple. >> and i kind of felt it was on a huge, big, rollercoaster. everything seems out of control. >> sure. >> and i wanted to give you a platform for one hour, where you can set the record straight. in a slightly more controlled environment. we'll get to the bottom of this incredible crisis. which has unfolded with your show, and with cbs, and with your life. i want to get away from the craziness. >> of course. i didn't bring any craziness. >> i want to get a sense of what's going on here and your take of it. >> it's been a tsunami of media. and i've been writing it on a mercury surfboard. right off the bat. sorry. i'm on a mission right now. it's an operation, actually, to right some terrible wrongs because there's been some things that have happened, as a result

of, you know, of rehab or crisis management. that show's temporary suspension, thus far. and i think it's important that people hear the truth and hear it from me. i'm at the dead epicenter of every moment since it's been going on. >> normally a show gets canceled or suspended when ratings aren't working out. >> right. >> in this case, you are right now, the highest-paid show in television, in america, and therefore in the world. the show has been ripping up the rates. >> yeah. >> there's no sensible reason why this show has been suspended, maybe canceled. >> sure. >> it's all about you and your private life. and there are two schools of thought. half the people i talk to say charlie should behave better. it doesn't reflect well on him and cbs to behave this view. my view for what it's worth and i said this to you this morning. >> it's worth a lot.

>> i think you're entitled to behave how the hell you like, as long as you don't scare the horses and the children and you turn up to work on time and do your job in a professional way, which clearly the ratings suggest you were. i don't really get what the problem's been here. what's -- obviously, i know what your view would be. but articulate why you think this is completely wrong. >> well, i mean, i can sort of understand why they felt like they had to intervene when they did. i think it was a tuesday. it was during a week off. and things had been a little sideways. i'll admit that. i was running it, burning it at both ends. i'm not going to say it wasn't epic and i wasn't having a ball. and all those around me weren't completely enjoying the show. we're on a rocket ship to the moon sometimes. if you do the crime, you've got to do the time. if you're an amateur and you can't hit your marks and do

dialogue and do comedy. it's all a different ball game. but i am. that's never been an issue. so, it was during a week off. they rolled in and said, okay. you got to shut it down. i said okay, i get it. you see me as being unprepared. >> listen, you've talked this week about having benders that would put keith richards and frank sinatra to shame, which was a pretty spectacular quote, charlie. that's one hell of a bender. i would reserve your right to lead your life however you like. the big question in terms of your contractual obligation to cbs is did you turn up on the set late? were you badly behaved on the set? did you let people down? were you unprofessional? >> i was late a couple days when we were just practicing. when it was just rehearsal. i never cost the production or the show any money as far as missing a day that was a money day. there's two money days during the week. i've never missed one. there's been a couple days i had to pull the audience because of personal stuff or divorce or divorce. and so, you know, like that.

but i just never really understood what the big deal about missing a day of practice. because i know i do 177 shows. not to promote being on autopilot. but you know, some of us are just better equipped to work in that head space, you know? but yeah, they started -- they said i got too thin. and said i was too thin. the year before they said i was a little bloated. so, i was bloated and tanned but thin and white. so, i thought if i could mix maybe thin with tan that bloated and white would go away. so, sort of a color wheel. >> a perfect hybrid. too bloated and too white. >> skinny and tanning. mental tanning. but anyway, so, they all started putting me in a fishbowl. every friday night i turned to the big executive kind of in the

corner hush hush dialogue whispered dialogue about my condition. and it was just -- it was a really hard situation to work in, you know? i felt really kind of -- it felt kind of weird. it felt like i was being, i don't know, it felt like an intrusion. i feel like when i step between the lines, that's the time i get to be free. i can do all the rehearsing and practicing and that stuff. go through the motions and give them a sense of what it's going to look like. but when it's time to play ball, that's when i feel free. >> you're a smart businessman. >> i don't know about that. >> well, you are. you are. you make a lot of money, what is it? $1.8 million. >> doesn't mean i save any. >> you can spend it how you like, charlie. >> save. >> you understand how this, would. i guess the stories about your behavior as they began to accelerate, they're getting advertisers screaming saying this is not the fit we want for this show. >> did any advertisers pull off? i'm curious. did we lose gillette, target, volvo? >> what is the answer to that? >> i don't know. maybe you have the answers. i didn't do that research.

>> did you hear that was the case? >> i heard threats of it. which to me that could be real. it could be an empty threat. >> would you accept that that was the case that your behavior then had to be moderated? >> absolutely because now we're into the money. absolutely, yeah, definitely. >> did anybody at cbs tell you before they suspended you, were there repeated warnings as they're trying to suggest to people, that if you carried on behaving in this manner and it got into the papers, you would be in big trouble? >> there was one. but it wasn't delivered in a way that was -- there was a threat. les moonves came to my house. and we had a lovely chat. >> he's the boss of cbs. >> yeah. he said just try to pull it back a little bit and maybe get back below the radar. he was asking me to maybe locate a gear. i haven't been quite too familiar with. i said, no problem, boss. and the thing with the hernia, it was like the hernia heard around the world. it was a real hernia.

>> so, les moonves, to be fair to him, he did warn you in a friendly way. would it be fair to say you didn't heed that warning? >> well my hernia didn't heed that warning. let's talk the facts. >> you're not going to blame your hernia? >> no, i'll own that. i guess i wound up in a hospital, whatever. >> but is it whatever? my point is that given you a warning, he's the boss of the network. >> i'll own that, sure. >> he's got a valid point afterwards to say, charlie, we had a deal. you looked me in the eye and said, i'm not going to behave like this. >> you're right. so, yeah. i was grateful when they came in because it was during a week off, during the hiatus week. i was actually looking forward to maybe shutting this down, maybe looking for something else. it was getting a little boring, as i've said in a few other pieces. i didn't have the same kind of traction that it had the previous eight months, whatever, literally woke up and it was christmas. didn't mind the gifts either.

so, yeah. and you know, it was during the week when that was sort of already -- when they rolled in, i went i'm grateful. i can do this. i said, here's the thing. i can't do this for too long because i will heal very fast. they said we're talking about six weeks. i said no, i'll heal in one or ten days or whatever. he said, well, okay. but we're thinking at least a month. i said whatever. that's fine. the funny thing was is that he said the warner jet is on the runway and you're going to utah. i looked at my manager and said, hey, the first time i got the jet. right on, guys. so, i agreed to shut it down. as promised, i healed really fast. i said, i'm ready to go back to work. >> you base that claim on previous experience? >> yeah, i've been a veteran of these wars, a veteran of the unspeakable at times.

and so, yeah. i just knew how to do it and when i didn't know was going to happen was this sort of reenergized awakening with a whole new set of powers, a whole new set of focus. >> but you believe is a slight hypocrisy here. we're in hollywood. if you're in a rock band in hollywood, this kind of behavior would be not only accepted, it would be encouraged because it's part of the brand of the rock band. >> right. >> you seem to be leading a rock star life. if you were keith richards or mick jagger, no one would bat an eyelid. it's the fact you're on a network show. do you accept it carries responsibility? >> absolutely it does, yeah. >> you're being critical of yourself, charlie. and this is i suppose a key part of this. when you look at your own behavior, do you feel slightly ashamed by some of it? do you wish su hadn't gone down certain pathways in the last few months? >> i think it's a waste of time. i can't change it. i tell people if you can walk back there and bring me i souvenir from that moment, when

your father locked you in the closet, bring me the ashtray in that office with that burning swisher sweet in it. you can't. the moment's over. it doesn't exist. we've got to get in here right now. >> do you believe there was a subliminal plat ot at cbs, to g rid of you? >> wow. do i think? >> let's go to the commercial. think of the answer to that question. it just got interesting. >> i don't know. that's a coffee and two pills. the afternoon tour begins with more pain and more pills. the evening guests arrive. back to sore knees. back to more pills. the day is done but hang on... her doctor recommended aleve. just 2 pills can keep arthritis pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is lara who chose 2 aleve and fewer pills for a day free of pain. and get the all day pain relief of aleve in liquid gels.

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back now live with charlie sheen. charlie, when we went to the break, i asked you whether you thought perhaps behind all this was some effort by cbs by the producers of the show, maybe the executives there, that had enough of all the publicity and they were trying to get rid of you. and this seemed a clever way of doing it. >> i don't know. that's giving them a whole lot of credit, you know, that they could concoct something that diabolical. if they are, in fact, doing that, i have to tip my hat to them because it's most impressive. i don't think that's the case. i really don't.

>> again, i would come back, it's a strange thing to do to a guy who's a star of a big show, right? >> well, plus, it begs the question, why didn't they just replace me after season seven when i was asking for a ton of dough and say, no, we're going to do the show, but not with you? >> let me ask you a direct question -- >> they had a chance to get rid of me a couple of times. >> yeah, they did. >> it's on them now. >> i would imagine they took that decision not to probably for commercial reasons. you're too successful for them. >> well, i don't know how sumner redstone explains that to his shareholders. we're unloading the reason the show is a hit. >> let me ask you a direct question. are you under the influence right now of any substances? >> no. right now i'm under the influence of you. >> that may not be the best influence, charlie. i'll warn you. >> i'll take it. it looks pretty cool to me, you know? >> you took a drug test to prove that you are currently completely drug-free. >> where are those results?

>> you actually have the results on you? >> yeah. these days you carry the stuff with you, right? >> when was this taken? >> it was taken -- when was it taken? yesterday? >> the day before. >> the day before. >> and this is -- assuming this is accurate, which i believe it is, this is completely clean. when was the last time you took a drug? >> i don't know because not being held hostage by aa anymore, i don't count my days because it puts a premium on them. and you run around with your days, don't lose your days, boom. where did my days go? keep coming back. keep coming back. here's your one day back. everything's cool. >> i'm going to come to the treatment aspect in a moment. i'm curious. if you had your time again, would you ever get into drugs? do you wish you never got on that step? >> there's a couple things i wish i hadn't started. one of them is smoking cigarettes.

but now i had a c.t. scan. i have the lungs of a non-smoker, which is a little bit weird. 2 packs a day for 25 years. of course you can't hear it in my voice or anything -- >> what about drugs and narcotics? >> drugs, yeah. but i, you know, i guess there is some school of thought that dictates that we are the sum total of all of our experiences. both good, bad, win, lose, or draw. you know, like that. so -- i don't think i would trade any of it because i'm still alive, which is pretty cool. >> have there been moments when you thought to yourself -- and i'm talking recently in some of these benders you've talked about -- where you thought -- you've been hospitalized a couple of times -- where you thought i may die? >> probably more -- more subconsciously. not so much at the forefront of, you know, within the scenario or whatever's taking place. yeah. it's -- of course it crossed my mind. i'd be a liar if i sat here and said it hadn't. but not to the point where i ever felt like i was blacking out or passing out or having a giant heart pain or something like that.

but it did -- but it doesn't, you know, i can't be in denial and say that it didn't feel that something could've gone sideways real quick. >> i mean, addiction specialists, you've seen them all coming out in the last -- >> i've been around them for 22 years. >> right. >> and they've been lying to me for two decades. >> right. well, i will come to that. the premise of their argument is that you're in some kind of denial about this. you've never thought i've got to sort myself out properly. that if you do follow their programs, they can work. and lots of people watching this saying it worked for me. >> then i can have a life like theirs? i'm going to pass. >> really? why? >> because i'm a winner and their lives are ruled by losers. just to put it in black and white terms. i don't want their lives. but they want mine. and they want to criticize the hell out of it. now they've run the gamut from he's not loaded. now what? now he's manic. i don't know what that means. i guess that would imply there's going to be a crash.

i don't know when that's coming. but maybe you can cover it when it does. >> there's sometimes i find it a little bit erratic. when i'm listening to you today, tonight, on this interview, i don't think you sound that crazy at all. you sound alarmingly normal. >> thank you. thank you. >> if i may use that phrase. >> no, i'm right here. i'm right here. i'm available. >> somebody who, you know, knew you from the early '90s, i can't pretend i haven't watched the stories and thought, i hope he's okay. i hope he doesn't do something stupid here. >> sure, i appreciate that. >> a lot of your friends will be watching much the same way. you're on tenterhooks all the time. that leading your life like this is a constant worry for friends, for family, for fans, isn't it? >> i wish people would shift that focus on to themselves and their own family and their own friends and maybe spend a little

more time on their home front. and not some distant planet that is me. and not off opinions and judgments about a guy they don't even know. it's a guy that even if i got an interview, you know, q & a, you can control it. no, you can't, man. there's bookends that tell you how you're supposed to feel before you read it and how you're supposed to feel after you're done. people don't get a sense of who i am or what i am or why i am. >> are you a happy guy? >> absolutely. my motto is enjoy every moment. >> people seem to think all addicts have to be essentially unhappy people. >> i don't believe myself to be an addict. i really don't. i think i'm going to ignore or smash or finally dismiss a model that i think is rooted in vintage balderdash, you know? for lack of a better word. >> what would you call yourself if you're not an addict? >> i mean, what's another word? >> do you think it's simply a case of you like to party? is it as simple as that? >> well, no. as long as i subscribe to the beliefs of others that build these models that don't really leave any room for individuality or creativity or anything that like, you know, they say you've

got to surrender and you've got to get rid of your resentments, you've got to sit in a room and be all lame, you know. i just -- i can't find a label other than just alive. there's this great quote going around. yeah, i'm on a high on a drug. it's called charlie sheen. that's a good line. >> i know you well enough to know when you're joking. i have laughed at a lot of things you've been saying because if you don't know you, when i interviewed you in the '90s, you were hilarious. and i took about 90% of what you said with what we would say in britain was a pinch of salt. it was funny. and i still think that you are seeing the humor in all of this going through a situation. you feel humor, as well. some of it is absurdly funny. >> i have to. and i'm trying to remind people there's a reason why i've had mad success doing comedy. you can't be completely boring and done great comedy. >> if you were running a network. >> right. >> let's put you on the spot for a moment. you're on cbs. >> i'm going to need your tie for starters. sorry. >> okay. we'll swap ties. so, you're running the network. >> right. >> how would you have reacted to the star of your number one family comedy, which is watched by families and liked by families, behaving off-screen in

the way you've been behaving? >> well, i mean -- if i was -- i'd first look at the writing. decide look at a lot of stuff that they were already getting away with because if anything, that's the first shot across the bow at the family aspect of it. i mean, there's always, you know a pee-pee or butt or poo-poo joke or a thing -- i'm being kind right now -- in ways that they make you see things or feel imagery that's just juvenile and gross. and it's not -- i don't think it comes close to -- i think it eclipses some of the stuff i'm doing out there on my most epic nights, you know? >> and the irony is your character's not exactly a saint. >> no, he's not. >> there's a certain brand alignment here. isn't there? >> right. it's okay to smoke cigars. not cigarettes. to drink tons of vodka. but don't go near cocaine -- because god forbid -- >> okay. to be a big womanizer on the show, but not in real life. >> no, no --

>> when we come back, i want to talk about the women in your life.s ve an average of $293 a month. call lending tree at... today.

charlie sheen is my special guest tonight. charlie, tell me about the women in your life. to put it mildly, your life is unconventional. >> pretty good word for it. i think it's just straight out -- well, there's the natty and the rache. these are the goddesses, as i've referred to them. >> what function do the goddesses perform? >> gosh, name it. name it. >> you have two girlfriends, basically? >> i do. yeah. yeah. and it's what's david described as the wedge. >> the wedge. what is the wedge? >> it's a football term. it's a formation that controls the guy carrying the ball. my man.

>> let me ask you -- let me play devil's advocate for a moment. >> sure. >> i've got to admit that part of me when i listen to you talk, i chuckle. i don't get as incensed as other people. >> i do, too. >> but i'm also aware. i'm a family guy. i've got three kids. >> i've go out five. >> there's lots of people watching saying all right. go tougher on charlie here because you are taking you have been until recently taking a lot of illegal drugs. you are on a family show. you do have a responsibility as a role model to people watching the show, especially with kids. you have your own kids. you're a dad of five kids yourself. how far do you feel that sense of responsibility in terms of your personal behavior? >> well, now -- with some distance from it, i realize its value. and i plan to maintain it and protect it like a precious gem for the rest of my days. >> do you think you got out of control? >> well, yeah. i don't have another gear, you know? >> it's as bad as you've ever been? >> i wouldn't say it was as bad.

it was just as -- it was as busy as i've ever been. >> i mean, the infamous bender that we read about a few weeks ago. what did you actually consume in that bender? what was the charlie sheen bender like? >> which bender are we talking about? >> the one where you had five women coming to your house at 4:00 in the afternoon. >> i didn't know there was going to be a math test. i don't think there were five. i don't think there were five. at least there weren't five doing that thing. the reason it went bad is because i don't do pills. i don't take opiates or any of that stuff, any of that psychotropic nonsense. >> you take cocaine, right? >> well, i used to. i've got to be careful because there's lawsuits and things going on and whatever. >> until you stopped, you were taking a lot of cocaine. >> well, yeah. i'm not taking it. i had to pay for it, come on. >> what would you have taken on that particular bender? >> well, i hadn't done any for a while, like seven hours. but i had this hernia thing that was popping out. and it might caught a piece of the bowel.

it sounds gross. but that's how a doctor described it. and the pain was as though someone was driving a hot saber through my gut. and because i won't take a pain pill because those things are like, wow -- actually i would, you know -- i already have pain. i need an anti-pain pill. so, i won't take those. so, i maybe hit the vodka a little too hard to reduce the pain. and then just kind of was that final push. that final drop down the falls. and then i guess i -- somebody decided to call 911. they took care of that thing perfectly. it was the other voices that we hear on the tapes. kind of got things confused. >> where do you wake up after these benders? let's assume for argument's sake, there won't be anymore. you've decided you're going to stop. >> yeah. >> with your kids in particular. a lot of parents say to me, ask charlie when he wakes up from these things, how do you feel about the reaction they're going to have? when they're on the school playground, when they're with their friends, all the embarrassment that comes their way? >> it's a shame. and it's a shame that we live in

an evil world like that sometimes. not always, but sometimes. that stuff i can't control. what i can control is them never being exposed to anything dangerous ever. at any point in time. >> so, you never -- you've never had any drugs in the house when your kids were around? >> no. and if it was my weekend, then we would go somewhere else. if it was it -- they just weren't there. those things just don't go the to -- you know? >> it is illegal what you were doing. if you're running a big network like cbs, are you entitled to say you broke the law? therefore you're in breach of your contract? >> well, it's only illegal if i admit to it. and they've never once checked with me. and you've always got to consider the source. you look at some of these retarded zombies, these trolls that roll back and that head back for the rock to crawl back under before the sun peeks out. and they're putting so much stock into the words and the

thoughts, and as i said the gibberish fools and not checking anything with me. there's no interest in cross checking the story -- >> but you wouldn't deny taking cocaine? >> well, no, of course not. i mean, duh. but i'm just saying -- >> isn't that a bit of a moot point? >> no, i'm talking about some of the sources they put -- that's the basket they put all the eggs in. you know? that's a weird metaphor, though. wow. >> yeah, it is. when you say you've out-partied keith richards, for example, we get the general gist of what's been going on. >> well, i might have been exaggerating. i didn't have my blood changed. that's a gnarly move, by the way. but no, i -- i just stumbled into an area suddenly in my brain that didn't need sleep. and that was the problem. because i could function without sleep. and when you can do that -- if you can get through the day, then you sort of park the night and start making plans for the night ahead. and it's just on. and things get a little bit -- you tend to overshoot the mark. >> people are experts in this kind of say one of the reasons

you've been firing off in the way you have is a classic symptom of a guy who was taking a lot of drugs and then stops. >> i'm in a pink cloud? >> possibly. what do you think? >> in their opinion, pink clouds go away. can't you be on a pink cloud your whole life? you can't be super focused. >> do you feel now -- do you feel angry now? >> no, i feel more alive. i feel more focused. i feel more energetic. my workouts are really intense. i'm in training for a movie because now i've got time to do it. >> you're physically fit? >> well, yeah. no, i was at my high school weight of like 160. but i'm also a ball player. i need to be strong to never fail in front of my heroes again. like i did at ucla that day. they said, it's not a failure. you bounced a couple balls in front of the wall. are you kidding me? those balls are usually halfway up the light tower. you know? >> can you get insurance because of what's been going on? >> nobody has said that they

can't. >> and i know that roman coppola there is going to get financing from a movie we're doing. and we're going to do "major league iii." and stallone walked up to me the other day and asked me to do a movie. yeah. sure, i'll do a movie with you. you're awesome. you're a rock star. you're in this hall of fame. >> and you've had calls from mel gibson and other people who have been through similar stuff. what did mel say to you? >> he was just, you know, not calling with any advice. just thought you'd like to hear some -- a friendly voice. he was a stone cold dude. i was really impressed. sean was over the other night. >> sean penn? >> sorry to out you, dude. >> what did he say? >> he was happy to see me. we had a few laughs. we took a photo on the couch that was on my show. the episode that he did. he met the goddesses. >> do any of these guys say, come on, charlie, enough's enough? do any of them do that to you? >> no. no, because they're too smart for that.

oh, do you mean during the party? or you mean right now? >> before, obviously, now you're off the drugs and stuff. when you were in a lot of the papers -- papers in the last few weeks? >> no, they wouldn't be my best friends if they didn't. they're saying, you're done. all right, dude, all of them. sinatra, richards, all of them say, you win. it's over. there's nothing left. i'm like you're right. damn it, okay. >> and when it's guys like that saying it to you, are they the ones you listen to more than anybody on the outside? >> yeah, because they know me. they know who i am and have known me for a long time. and plus they've been in similar situations where you're sort of trying to balance -- not trying, balancing fame and work and, you know, all the family components and everything else that comes along with it. >> is it hard being the star? the highest-paid star on american television? does it bring with it a peculiar pressure? you're obviously very competitive. you said earlier, you like to win, you like to be a winner.

because you're so competitive, that pressure when you're number one to stay number one, can that in itself drive you to go and seek release? to go i want to go and have a few days getting away from it all? >> yeah, of course. that's, i'm sure, one of the elements that might drive it. i don't think it's entirely that for me. it got into a redundancy issue. it got into this thing about, you know, what others would call, you know, discipline, structure, focus, all of that available. it just came down to me bored out of my fricking tree, you know. and that's why i kept giving them numbers at the seven-year mark to not come back. and they finally just said, more, more, more. and my friend mark holder said this is really on them. didn't they know who they were giving all this dough to? giving it to that guy and they thought nothing was going to change? i mean, he was joking of course. >> well, there's a certain truth to that. not that you became a party boy in the last year. you've always been a legendary hollywood hell raiser. so, giving you $1.8 million a show, is a bit like giving a kid who's got a sweet addiction a candy store. >> you mean the whole store?

>> pretty much. you've had the whole store. >> yeah, i don't know. gosh, where do we go from here? >> only way is up, charlie. i'll tell you what, we'll go to a break. have a think about it. >> okay. it's your fault. naturally, blame the mucus. well, i can't breathe. did you try blowing your nose? of course. [ both ] and nothing came out. instead of blaming me, try new advil congestion relief. what you probably have is swelling due to nasal inflammation, not mucus. and this can help? it treats the real problem of your sinus symptoms, reducing swelling due to nasal inflammation. so i can breathe. [ mucus ] new advil congestion relief. the right sinus medicine for the real problem.

the right sinus medicine [children screaming] [growl] i met my husband here. i got to know my grandkids here. we've discovered so much here together. but my doctor told me that during that time my high cholesterol was contributing to plaque buildup in my arteries. that's why i'm fighting my cholesterol... with crestor. along with diet, crestor does more than help manage cholesterol, when diet and exercise alone aren't enough. crestor is also proven to slow plaque buildup in arteries. crestor is not right for everyone, like people with liver disease, or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. simple blood tests will check for liver problems. tell your doctor about other medicines you are taking, or if you have muscle pain or weakness.

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here are your headlines.

[ gunfire ] a fierce battle on sunday in libyan city of mizratta. the opposition forces say pro-gadhafi troops tried to make the town but were beaten back. protesters took to the streets of new york sunday, to voice their concerns over congressional hearings this week. the chairman of the homeland security committee, peter king, wants to look into what he is calling the radicalization of american-muslims. but demonstrators say muslims are being unfairly targeted. and they're worried that islam is being portrayed as the enemy. those are your headlines this hour. i'm don lemon, keeping you informed. cnn, the most trusted name in news. to what i'll actually be doing. so in the rest of my life i like control. especially in my finances. that's why i have slate with blueprint. i can make a plan to pay off everyday things and avoid interest,

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aspercreme breaks the grip, with maximum-strength medicine and no embarrassing odor. break the grip of pain with aspercreme. back now with my special live guest, charlie sheen. charlie, there've been reports in the papers in the last two or three years hinting at violence by you towards -- one was towards your wife. and one was towards a porn star in a hotel. were they true? did the drugs make you violent? do you regret what happened on those two incidents? >> those are two incidents where the scoreboard doesn't lie. the aspen thing was thrown out. the judge was like, get this guy out of my county. he brings so much press with him. and the police report in new york didn't report anything. those are the guys that are going to report the facts or their jobs are on the line.

i just offer people those, you know. >> have you ever hit a woman? >> i have not, no. no, women are not to be hit. they're to be hugged and caressed, you know? >> few people that are very close you to have expressed real concern. >> i'm sorry. there was an incident years ago. and everybody thought i hit her. i was trying to contain her. i had her arms. and we both went to the ground. and she hit her -- >> who was that? >> her initials are b.a. i'll give that you much. i don't want to make the whole thing about her. and i felt terrible. i delivered her to a plastic surgeon. and everybody said you hit her. and i was like, no. she hit her thing and it's over. i felt bad about that one. yeah. >> you regret that? >> yeah, she was attacking me, though, with a small fork. like a cocktail fork. and i think she had it with her. that's the weird part. what was she doing with like a shrimp fork in her purse? she stole it clearly from a buffet. >> is there any defense? >> you can't. whatever story you come up with sounds like you've made it up. so -- and that's the truth. and that's what happened. >> but you regret that incident?

>> oh, god, yeah. yeah. but i never really told the story about that because everybody was under a gag order or something. there were heinous things that led up to that that i was trying to fend off. whatever. i'll own it. i remembered that when you asked. that's the only time it was presumed i'd done so. >> your father, martin sheen, described addiction as a cancer. >> dude, relax. so dramatic, you know. he's entitled to that. i don't support it, sorry. >> have you talked to your father? >> i have not, no. this quote of his is like following me everywhere, you know? >> you haven't discussed it with him? >> no, i'm sure he'll hear something about it in one of these interviews. but i'm just -- as much as i love him, i'm 45 with five kids, you know. >> does he not call you? as a matter of course, do you not speak to him much? >> no, i mean -- he's been out of the country, i think. that's why he hasn't called. >> he's your dad and you're going through this tumultuous period in your life. >> i think people think that

it's a lot harder on me than it is. i'm on a quest to claim absolute victory across the board on every front in this whole mess. i'm here to right, as i said, every single wrong and reveal the people that are responsible for all of this -- all of this foolishness. >> is your game plan to actually end up getting your job back? >> well, i would love that, yeah. i mean, i signed a deal for two years. >> you said in the interview, charlie, you were bored with it. this was one of the problems -- >> right, there was that redundancy factor to it. but that doesn't matter. that was an old brain. i have a new brain. i have a 10,000-year-old brain and the boogers of a 7-year-old. that's how i describe myself. >> since you've been clean, in your head, have you thought, something i've nearly lost here one of the great jobs in television. >> yes, pick it back up. suit up. boot up. and let's get this thing back on the air. >> do you have it in you to be disciplined enough now to not fall by the wayside? >> absolutely. i'll be waiting on them. i'll be waiting on them. >> you said in an interview today that you wanted a pay raise. >> no, that was stupid. >> were you joking? >> no, i was joking about being underpaid. but to come back season ten,

that's all negotiable. you can't talk about this stuff on television. then why did you? i don't know, he's on crack. where's dr. drew when you need him. >> funny enough, we had a clip from dr. drew. i did interview dr. drew actually. he was quite interesting. >> there's no way to get that time back. >> i think a lot of these guys who are involved in treating addicts -- >> are they addicts themselves? what are his credentials? >> let's take a with quick listen to dr. drew. let's hear what he said to me. >> two separate conditions. there's the addiction, which gets triggered, which is the biological disorder of the brain. and then there are the underlying environmental and psychological issues that push somebody over into addiction in the first place. the issue of dealing with the so-called demons. if you have a bad enough addiction you need to see me, 100% probability you've had childhood trauma. so, we're really talking about childhood trauma. and that takes years to sort through. >> you're not taking that very seriously. are you? >> here are my notes. please. >> what do you think when you

hear that kind of professional? >> i think you cannot -- you cannot -- come on, man. that's ridiculous. to like have a prognosis about somebody you've never been in the same room with based on his image in a media setting. i think he should be ashamed of himself. i would never sit here and tell you who the heck he is or what drives or fuels him. i don't know. got to dismiss these clowns. >> have you seen the programs for alcoholism and drug addiction? have you seen it work for friends of yours? >> some, yeah. but -- >> so you do accept it can work? >> well, but what they don't tell you at the door is they have a 5% success rate. and as a retired gambler, 22 years around this thing. not like i gave it a year. i gave it, oh, gee, that's half my life. my 48%. at some point i've got to go, i've got to try something different. i'm going to rely on me. >> another break now. when we come back, i'm going to ask you how you see your future after all this gets sorted.

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back now, my special guest, charlie sheen. you were saying at the break, you kind of feel you being the center of the news for the last few weeks. kind of crazy, given all that's going on. >> kind of crazy. turn on the news and i'm the

lead story. and thinking from that, the world is upside down. i guess that shows the power of the business that i'm in. >> we've been through, obviously, the full range of what's been going on here. what i think is inarguable, is clearly, if this was handled in a different way, you would have expressed some regret of some of your behavior. >> of course, i would. of course, i would. there's no gratitude here. none. no gratitude whatsoever. nobody will call me. have the decency to just call me. >> what is the answer to where you found yourself with cbs and it the show? because there are millions of fans, >> what do you mean? >> millions of fans just want the show back on the air. >> so do i. >> what is the way to make that happen? >> i don't know. but it may involve all of us getting into a room. >> what would you say if you did? >> i'd say you've agreed to pay the crew four shows and you've got to pay me eight. and then we can have a dialogue. that's just doing the right thing.

>> what would you sign up to, in terms of personal behavior? >> i don't -- i guess i would have to play ball on some front. but i don't feel like they still have a right to interfere in my personal life. i already don't feel -- i don't do it in theirs. if they'll submit to you at same constraints, all the same points in that agreement, fine. i'm on board. but then you'll hear stories about, they're going to hire john stamos. you guys do that, you deserve everything that happens later, you know. sorry, john, you're a lovely man. but you got on me on howard stern. and i don't forget anything. you know? >> you're quite sensitive under the brash exterior. >> well, sensitive? yeah, when i have to be. sure. but when i'm fighting a war, there's no room for sensitivity. >> has any of this really upset you? properly upset you? >> i was upset after being kind of picked on and a little bit bad stuff by chuck and the vanity cards for like eight years.

and i finally fired back once. now, my fire back was a 2,000 pound bomb and laser guided. >> he's the producer of the show. >> he took his ball and went home. i made one crack, he took his ball and went home. if he wasn't already trying to get off the show, then i don't know what else -- >> you guys must have been very good friends at some stage. >> never. never. >> really? >> no. for probably the first hour, maybe. and then, it was like, you must let me impose my will all over your face. i was like whoa, dude. i don't want anything you got. >> do you regret making what appeared to be an anti-semitic dig at him? >> yes, i do. i regret it in a way that i didn't even think about it. and then i should have thought about it. stupid move. sorry. >> would you say sorry to him if you had the chance? >> of course i would. i didn't think that was -- i thought the rules had been established. he calls me carlos estevez a lot, which is my real name. and then i saw the other name

and his vanity card. and i said it. and the world just started burning down around me. >> what's your biggest regret of all this? >> that -- >> if you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently? >> wow. again we've got to go back to those moments and bring back a souvenir. you can't really change it. >> you can't change it. but you can regret. >> maybe i should have been a little quieter, a little softer. look what happens when you decide to blaze a trail. you find out that those that can't stand the heat around them, they don't really have the guts to survive, you know? >> if they make contact tomorrow. and if they say, why don't we try and all get together here and try to resolve this? >> right here. right here. >> you would honestly do that? >> yeah, i don't have a job. i could come here and color commentate for you. >> i'd love that. >> okay, great. >> you can co-host for a week if you like. >> call rick. >> how do you hope it ends? >> i have a vision of us getting

back on the air for season nine. and then doing season ten. and then cleaning up all this mess behind us. and then when we're back on the stage and doing it perfectly and brilliantly, a couple of adjustments will be made. we all know where we stand right now. so, it can't be like, hey, good to see you again. not. >> what about your fellow cast members? have you talked to any of them? >> i have not. because i don't feel like there's any real support there. no one has issued a statement, made a phone call. i got a couple angry texts. i ignore that. i'm out here doing this for all of us, guys. i'm not here trying to embarrass you or ruin your jobs. >> do they feel you've let them down? >> i don't know. i'd be speaking for them. it would have been nice if there was some measure of support from anybody, anybody at this point. that's all right, man. every great movement begins with one man. and i guess that's me. >> like the che guevara of hollywood at this point. >> i'll take it. thank you.